Autism Family Services of Nj

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
134205043
IRS 990 coverage
2014–2025
Forms available
Form 990 2025
Location
East Windsor, NJ, USA
Phone
6093924900
Rating
46
Verdict
MIXED
Rating confidence
Standard
Sector
Developmentally Disabled Centers

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$104,800
Expenses
$187,244
Assets
$23,127
Liabilities
$41,556

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2025. Amounts in USD.

Leadership & pay

13 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • PETER T DONNELLY ESQ (PRESIDENT)
  • SARAH E DAU (EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT)
  • SEBASTIAN BORRIELLO (VICE PRESIDENT)
  • LIZA GUNDELL (CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER)

Highest reported compensation

  • LIZA GUNDELL (CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER): $189,286 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2025. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

Autism family services of New Jersey is dedicated to ensuring a better quality of life for individuals with autism and their families. Our skilled team works in partnership with families to address daily challenges, foster communication, and build resilience, ensuring that everyone receives the support they need throughout their journey.

What it reported doing in 2025

Intensive in-home behavioral supports: one-to-one evidence-based analysis (aba) to lower maladaptive behaviors and increase replacement behaviors. Targets the four domains (communication, social, functional, behavior) that are impacted for people with autism or a developmental disability diagnosis. Family training and community supports are integrated into the plan.individual support services: one-to-one sessions focus on support using an intervention plan based on the needs of the person for improving daily living skills for clients with autism and/or intellectual and developmental disabilities.autism beach bash: this annual event in belmar, nj, welcomes thousands of families for a day of community, connection, and adventure, as children with autism experience surfing and a variety of inclusive activities.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 100% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
Hybrid. The nonprofit split its reported program spending across 60% for direct work, and 40% for grants.

The verdict

MIXED - The filed numbers largely add up and most voting board members are independent. A relatively small share of available resources goes toward mission work and a relatively small share of total spending goes to programs.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 3
  • Transparency & Controls: 69
  • Accountability: 100
  • Sustainability: 7
  • Growth: 80

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 2.4%; rating input score 2
  • Program expense ratio: 1.3%; rating input score 1
  • Fundraising efficiency: $2.64 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 12; 12th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 64th percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: 0 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 0
    • Compensation committee: Missing
    • Independent consultant: Missing
    • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
    • Written employment contract: Missing
    • Compensation survey or study: Missing
    • Board or committee approval: Missing
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: Limited
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 64th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 8 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 100
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: Pass
    • Other executive compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: -78.7%; rating input score 2; 2nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.12; rating input score 8; 8th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 1.8; rating input score 2; 2nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 9.8%; rating input score 27; 27th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 7.1% per year; rating input score 100; 59th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 5.4% per year; rating input score 100; 50th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: -8.8% per year; rating input score 0; 6th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 2.4% of revenue deployed · 1.3% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 12 of 12 board members independent · 8 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $2K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $189K · 13 people listed · 0 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Consistency: 20 of 20 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 7 filed schedules · includes major donors and executive pay
  • Filing history: 11 filing years from 2014 to 2025
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Related organizations: 3 filed related-organization links
  • Grant readiness: Federal tax and exclusion status, award history, and grant-maker relationships.
  • People: Everyone the filings name, and which of them the filings identify by more than a name.

Key Signals

Signals prioritize questions for review. They are not findings of misconduct.

  • High — Financial Efficiency: Mission deployment rate scored 2/100.
  • High — Financial Efficiency: Program expense ratio scored 1/100.
  • High — Transparency & Controls: Pay-setting controls scored 0/100.
  • High — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 12/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 2/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 8/100.
  • High — Growth: Asset growth scored 0/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 2/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 27/100.